Ghost of Mike Shanahan lingers over Redskins

Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan looks on from the sidelines as his team plays the Seattle Seahawks during their NFL NFC wildcard playoff football game on January 6, 2013. (REUTERS/Tim Shaffer)

“It’s always a bit weird anytime you aren’t headed to camp this time of year — especially when you’ve done something for 40 years,” said Shanahan, who is living in Denver, while the Redskins opened training camp Friday under new head coach Jay Gruden.

Shanahan spent 21 years in Denver building a legacy of excellence.

But the Washington experience was a fiasco.

He alienated his franchise quarterback, Robert Griffin III, bickered with owner Dan Snyder and culminated his 24-40 tenure with a 2013 campaign that turned into a 3-13 sinkhole.